Future Mayor accused of attempting to banish God from the public arena

Father Paul Daly, Parish Priest of Saint Joseph's RC, Heywood

Councillor Robin Parker, in an entry in his Rochdale Online Diary, has given notice that when he takes over as Mayor in May 2008 he will not be having prayers before Council meetings, but the revelation has prompted Father Paul Daly, Parish Priest of Saint Joseph's RC, Heywood to accuse Councillor Parker of attempting to “banish God from the public arena”.

As background Councillor Parker explains that he trained at theological college but on completion decided against ordination. He then explains his position regarding council business saying that political groups will have met before the main council meeting and determined their positions. He goes on to say: "points will be scored in an atmosphere that can sometimes become vitriolic and occasionally an opposition point will cause the ruling group to think again, though only occasionally (that’s not a swipe at the Lib Dems; it was exactly the same when we had control). In my view it is totally out of order to ask the blessing of a deity on something which has been so pre-determined.

"I am giving notice that when I become Mayor I shall not be having prayers before Council meetings."

Father Daly responded: "I wonder if Robin Parker has the authority as Mayor to ban Civic Prayers. Surely they are the prayers of the Council, not just of the Mayor. Will it be put to a Council vote? Will Councillors get a free vote?

"Will the new Mayor be banning prayer from other civic events, such as Remembrance Sunday, or is it only the Council Chamber that is meant to be no-go area for God?

"What saddens me is when a committed church-goer seeks to remove all references to God (not an anonymous deity, please Robin; we're theists, not deists) and to prayer from the Council business. What's he afraid of; that God will suddenly intervene and say 'vote this way'. God lets us make up our own minds; but listening for a moment in silence to a passage from his word can focus minds as to those enduring values on which our borough has to be built rather than the shifting sands of popular opinion and easy votes.

"It is, sadly, one more attempt to banish God from the public arena and to privatise faith. Such attempts have been happening now for a generation and secularists have proclaimed the end of religion yet, as several think-tanks have recently pointed out, religion refuses to go away and God refuses to shut up!

"We could be treated with the sight of the non-prayers sitting in their council benches with the Mayor while those who wish to begin with prayer gather outside and enter after the opening of the meeting. The No Smoking in this building signs could be amended with the addition of the words No Praying.

"I would also suggest that provision for prayer in the Town Hall and council offices should also include a prayer room suitable for our Muslim sisters and brothers."